Padfoot's Journal
by Lyria Padfoot
Summary: Title self-explanatory. Sirius' journal from mid-6th year on through to Graduation. PLEASE PLEASE R/R!!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Harry Potter belongs to J.K.R. See my other works for fun with Lyria and an introduction to her. In fact, READ MY OTHER STUFF. Enjoy, more will come, and please R/R!!!!!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Padfoot's Journal  
  
Love from Lyri, Christmas 1977  
  
December 25, 1977  
  
I don't believe this. Happy Christmas, Sirius, your girlfriend gave you a journal. Seems she thinks that writing about your problems will help with your "violent tendencies." She spends too much time reading psychology books. I do one stupid, impulsive thing, and the rest of my life they're going to haunt me about it.  
  
Yes, this is yet another result of the full moon no one dares speak of, but no one will let me forget.  
  
So basically, my girlfriend thinks I need to get my head checked and one of my closest friends won't speak to me.  
  
I am now going to throw this stupid journal in the bottom of my trunk and eat every bit of candy I have like the girl Lyria thinks I am. Maybe wash it down with something very, very strong.  
  
January 1, 1978  
  
Oh, Lord, if I manage to live through this hangover I solemnly swear never to drink again...  
  
Of course, I think I said that last time. Can't remember. Having trouble making my brain think in complete thoughts, nevermind these complex sentences.  
  
Head hurts.  
  
Really, really bad.  
  
But anyway, last night's party was absolutely amazing. I think I have some pretty excellent blackmail pictures too... though I don't rightly remember what I was doing, so I suppose I should be careful who I try to blackmail.  
  
Lyria's latest "Restore Sirius to Mental Health" suggestion is that I make a New Year's Resolution to help me make goals and focus my energy in a constructive manner. Personally, I think she's the one who needs her head checked; anyone who's trying to restore me to health has to have problems of their own. I'll humor her, though – she's really a sweet kid. Don't know why she bothers with me, except of course that I'm wonderful and beautiful. Besides, maybe if I play along she'll get the bright idea of us doing stuff together to build a healthy relationship or something.  
  
I am amazed at how well I'm writing with a hangover.  
  
Anyway, here's the list...  
  
Be nice to Lyria. She really is trying to help and she always gets me back if I prank her anyway.  
  
Try to talk to Remus. He can't ignore me forever, even though I did something very, very dumb.  
  
Stop trying to add new and greasy foods to Remus' diet. For some reason the teachers seem rather fond of having Snape around.  
  
Be nice to Snape. Not that it'll happen, but I can at least pretend I'm trying for Lyria.  
  
Stop drinking excessively. It really makes my brain hurt.  
  
Do homework early. Long-term goal is the night before it's due, instead of the beginning of class. Maybe start with doing it at breakfast?  
  
Spend more time reading. At least if I hang out in the library, I'll run into Lyria more often. For some reason she and Lily seem to like books.  
  
Stop getting caught at pranks. Eventually, they will give up and just expel me. Besides, there's a certain challenge in not getting caught...  
  
Lose weight. Okay, so I don't want or need to lose weight, but this *is* a list of New Year's Resolutions so I have to put it on here somewhere. And nine is a nice round number.  
  
  
  
January 3, 1978  
  
I was so pleased with my list I ran off and told Lyria all about it, and she told me that making lists of everything and keeping track of minute and unimportant details is anal-retentive behavior. Damn Psychology, there's just no pleasing some people.  
  
Of course, then she told me that I was a dear and that she was delighted to see I was using my journal, and proceeded to kiss me in front of most of Gryffindor house. Rather a nice ego boost.  
  
Then she asked if I'd talked to Remus yet.  
  
Sometimes that girl drives me crazy. One second we're snogging and the next she's talking about Remus and how we need to work out our problem. I mean, if I'm kissing her, I AM NOT THINKING ABOUT REMUS. Sorry, that's just not my thing. And just why is *she* thinking about him while she's kissing me?  
  
Okay, so I'm not being fair. So she worries about me and loves me and wants me to be a happy well-adjusted illegal Animagus or whatever. But I'm trying to AVOID the Remus problem right now!!  
  
I do need to talk to him, though; she's right. (Damnit, she's *always* right.) Maybe I can get Prongs to help... after all, things just aren't the same without the four of us.  
  
  
  
January 15, 1978  
  
Haven't had time to write at night—I've been busily serving detentions old and new. I have to say, though, I've never been so proud of a detention as I am of the one I earned today.  
  
During Charms, I noticed Remus reach into his bag, but he didn't take anything out of it. In fact, he started to look a little bit sick. Seems Snape dumped some sort of silvery powder into it, and he couldn't have taken anything out of his bag without hurting himself.  
  
Well, Moony's my friend, whether he likes it or not, and I wasn't about to let Snape get away with anything anyway.  
  
So, I very casually dropped a dungbomb and a firecracker into Snape's cauldron during Potions when I walked by.  
  
Y'know if you add a dungbomb and a firecracker to a healing potion, you get a huge explosion of highly acidic stinky brown stuff?  
  
It couldn't have gone better if I'd planned it.  
  
Snape noticed his potion turned the wrong color, so he called Professor Prewett over to look at it. Of course, Prewett knew Snape hadn't done anything wrong, so the pair of them leaned over the cauldron to see what could possibly be wrong.  
  
BOOM.  
  
I think the fact that I was chuckling gave away that it was my fault. I say chuckling—it was more like doubled over rolling around on the floor in tears, I was laughing so hard. I looked over to find James, Remus, and Peter all in similar states of helplessness. Lyria and Lily (although trying to pretend they didn't approve) were also laughing, and even a couple of the Slytherins thought it was pretty funny.  
  
Prewett, however, wasn't amused. He sent Snape up to the Infirmary immediately and dismissed us before following. Of course, in addition to dismissing us, he managed to get out a "Fifty Points from Gryffindor, Black, and I'll see you in detention!"  
  
That's okay. Good friends are worth detention with Prewett.  
  
So's the sight of Snape will little bits of brown goo in his hair... 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Here's another edition... thank you to everyone who's reading, this is a lot of fun to write, and I love doing it. More on the others shall come!!  
  
January 20, 1978  
  
Actually, I guess it's the 21st now but that's okay. Detention was more than worth it. I wasn't able to serve it until today; I had some other ones to catch up on first.  
  
Prewett stuck me to cleaning up the mess the acid explosion had made. For an accident, that stuff sure is hard to clean up! Important to remember though, because I'm sure that we'll be able to get a nice big acid explosion in the Slytherin Common Room.  
  
Anyway, after a while Prewett decided I wasn't going to cause trouble, so he left me in the room to clean up by myself. No sooner did he walk out then Prongs, Moony, and Wormtail swept off the invisibility cloak.  
  
"Didn't think we'd make you do it yourself, did you?" Remus asked, pulling a can of Magical Mess Remover out of his bag.  
  
We cleaned it all up in no time, with four of us, and slipped out of the sparkly clean dungeon and back upstairs.  
  
Then we finished our latest project.  
  
The Maurader's Map.  
  
I did most of the drawing, I have a bit of a talent at that. Remus looked up the appropriate charms, Peter was the researcher of the floor plan (because he can wander around all the time in his rat form) and James did the charms. And now, after months, it's finished.  
  
We might as well be invincible now!  
  
  
  
January 23, 1978  
  
Sometimes the four of us have the worst luck imaginable.  
  
FILCH CONFISCATED THE MAP!  
  
He doesn't know what it does, and he's never going to find out, but it's in his possession now. Three days after we finished it, it's gone. Sitting in a file somewhere... OH THE INHUMANITY!!  
  
I wanted to go in there to get it and worry about the consequences later, but Remus pointed out that that usually gets me into trouble. Nice of him to remind me yet AGAIN about the full moon incident, eh? I had an urge to tell him to stuff it if he was never going to let me live it down, but decided against it. Then I realized I seemed to be developing some common sense and maybe even a conscience and was immensely proud of myself. I guess this is what Lyria considers progress or treatment or something.  
  
  
  
February 1, 1987  
  
I think I really screwed up this time.  
  
Lyria and I had the biggest fight we've ever had.  
  
I didn't even start it this time, either! I've been trying to act a little more like I'm sixteen than like I'm six around her, because all of a sudden it's a problem, and she made a comment about me "getting over my disorder." I wasn't too pleased so I told her my only problem was called Lyria and that she could find someone else to psychoanalyze.  
  
She then asked me if I was using my journal to "safely vent my anger" because if I was then maybe I should talk to someone about it. By now I was pretty pissed—Sorry, but I really don't think there's anything wrong with me! I told her I refused to take anger management advice from a girl who broke noses for fun.  
  
She punched me, breaking my nose in the process (way to prove my point!).  
  
Later on, I heard from James that Lily said she's been up in their dorm crying ever since.  
  
Well if I hurt her I'm sorry, but I'm sick of being her practice patient! I suppose I should talk to her about it and try to fix things, but I'm afraid that's just not going to happen.  
  
Why am I writing this anyway? To make *her* happy?  
  
February 10, 1978  
  
Things with Lyria have gotten no better. If possible, they've gotten worse.  
  
James finally sat me down yesterday and told me that I needed to do something about it because I was getting impossible to deal with. I reckon he's right about that; I made Peter cry the other day. I mean, that's no accomplishment, but he's my friend and all and I really should learn to control my temper.  
  
There's Lyria's influence again, sneaking in where it's not wanted.  
  
That's happened a lot lately.  
  
Lily says Lyria still cries a lot when she thinks no one's watching. It's been over a week now, and I feel pretty awful about that. I mean, before Lyria and I started going out, when I broke up with girls they'd have a new boyfriend by the end of the day. At least I know she really cares, I guess.  
  
I really have to do something.  
  
Now I just have to figure out what.  
  
February 12, 1978  
  
I will never as long as I live make fun of Lily Evans again. And from me, that's saying something.  
  
She's absolutely brilliant!  
  
Since Valentine's Day *is* two days away, she first suggested trying to fix things with Lyria then, which allows me an excuse for getting her something nice. It's also, as Lily noted, our 5-month anniversary (scary that my best friend's girlfriend knows this and I don't...), so it'd be "cute" if I managed to put things back together then.  
  
Of course, the next question was what exactly to do, so for that I went to Prongs and Moony. Moony's the sort that all the girls think is "adorable" (basically because he's a softie) and Prongs and Lily have broken up and gotten back together more times than anyone can keep track of. (I think Peter lost track at around 47, but I forget.) The overall suggestion was flowers and something.  
  
And something. How helpful they are.  
  
It's alright, though, because then I remembered that I got her a Valentine's Day present at Christmas. Nothing wrong with getting things done early, after all. So I hunted through my trunk and also found Prongs' birthday present and three dungbombs I forgot I'd had, but those have since been put to good use on a certain Slytherin.  
  
If this works, I will never ever lose my temper with Lyria again. Unless of course she does something to really piss me off.  
  
February 15, 1978  
  
I could kiss James Potter. And I don't mean that in a gross way.  
  
Well, okay, it's a gross concept. Scratch that.  
  
James Potter has reminded me yet again of why he's my best friend. Better.  
  
I talked to Lyria. Granted, I had to corner her in the Astronomy tower to get her to talk to me, but damnit, I wasn't about to let her run off on me this time.  
  
So, I cornered her up in the Astronomy tower last night, armed with present and flowers. "Can we talk?"  
  
"If you're going to talk," she replied, looking up at me. "I don't really feel like being yelled at again."  
  
Go on, Lyria, just twist the knife why don't you? "I like my nose just fine how it is, thanks."  
  
She laughed a bit at that, which I decided to take as a good sign. Probably best to sound like I'd blurted everything out impulsively, despite having preplanned this entire conversation.  
  
"Lyri, I know you're only trying to help but I'm happy how I am. I love you but I'm not going to change for you." I gave her the full benefit of a chocolate brown stare and my best innocent look. "Oh, these are for you," I said, as if it were an afterthought, trying to look mournful.  
  
She didn't say anything. In fact, she didn't even open her present. She just put the flowers down on a desk and kissed me.  
  
After I got over the initial shock (I mean, Lyria knows how to get a reaction!), I managed to ask her, "What was that for?"  
  
"I wasn't aware I needed a reason to want to snog with my boyfriend," she replied.  
  
"You know what I mean!"  
  
Her expression softened at that. "Because you're you."  
  
After which, it became snogfest, and I probably would have gotten lucky had Peter not gone looking to make sure she hadn't killed me.  
  
Damn him. Damn him.  
  
Later, of course, I found out that James had told Lily I was absolutely miserable and lonely without Lyria, which Lily of course passed on. And therefore he's a saint. 


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I have attracted readers!! YAY!! To my reviewers, hugs, warm fuzzies, and the following:  
  
wellduh: Why thank you, and here's some more of that writing I'm supposed to keep doing!  
  
oowth: Yes, more pranks are coming! I love the one I used in chapter one, and if you'd like a couple more in between chapters, you may wish to read "The Bet."  
  
Everyone else who I know personally: Thanks you guys!! You rock!!!  
  
Disclaimer etc still applies. Read other works. Thank you!!  
  
I'll shut up now. On to the story!!  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
February 20, 1978  
  
We are planning the best prank ever for next year.  
  
See, we're going to be seventh years, so we need to go out with a bang. (And no, I don't mean an explosion: we have something much more sophisticated and worthy in the works.) If this works right, we really will make Hogwarts history.  
  
Of course, I can't say too much, because if Lyria finds out, I'm likely to be smothered in my sleep. Plus it'll be much better if it's totally unexpected.  
  
Oh, it's going to be great...  
  
February 28, 1978  
  
I am unbelievable, almost amazingly furious at the following individuals: My little brother Orion, Lily Evans, Remus Lupin, and assorted Slytherins, most notable one who has yet to discover shampoo.  
  
Here's the gist of what happened. My little brother, being a fourth year and rather naive, suggested that the two of us sing in the talent show the staff is planning. That doesn't fit with my image at ALL, but I mean, this is my little brother, so I told him I'd think about it. Of course, Miss Evans found out and announced to the entire school that I would be singing with my little brother in the talent show. Assorted Slytherins found this extraordinarily amusing, and one Severus Snape laughed so hard I thought he was going to piss himself. Remus Lupin did not help, because he proceeded to tell everyone not only that I could sing, but also that I know how to play piano quite well. Now not only did the Slytherins find this amusing, but also the rest of the school. Even McGonagall laughed. I mean, MCGONAGALL LAUGHING AT ME.  
  
This, mind you, after I caused an acid explosion on Remus' behalf. Lyria tried to console me, but was also amazed that I can play piano. It was my father's idea; it's not my fault!  
  
I'm going to stop writing and go bang my head against a wall. Maybe I can knock myself out.  
  
March 3, 1978  
  
Note to self: Start brain before engaging mouth.  
  
I have earned myself yet another two week detention with Prewett. Messing with Snape in Potions probably wasn't the most brilliant thing I've ever done, truthfully, but I still say it was worth it.  
  
I believe Prewett was drunk, because he paired us together to work on a truth potion. It started at least civil, and that lasted for approximately 47 seconds before he made mistake number one.  
  
"Get out of my way, you moron, I'll do the important parts," he snapped at me.  
  
"Pity you can't get someone to do the important parts of your work in Transfiguration," I replied just as sharply. "And I don't think you have the right to call anyone a moron, considering who your friends are."  
  
Silence reigned for a longer period this time, an entire 2 minutes and 19 seconds, before mistake two. A bit of something fell off the table, and he leaned over to pick it up and found my journal in the front of my bag.  
  
"What's this? Sirius Black keeps a diary?" He smirked. "Now this could be interesting reading material..."  
  
"Give it here," I snarled. I was not about to let him read it, although there really wasn't anything incriminating in it that I could remember.  
  
"No, I think I'd like to read it," he replied, opening the book.  
  
Fortunately for me, I'd put a charm on the book to prevent just such a situation. The book bit down firmly on his finger, and he dropped it as if it were on fire.  
  
Prewett darted over in alarm. "BLACK! Now what have you done?"  
  
I wasn't pleased. "ME?!? He's the one sticking that giant beak of his where it doesn't belong!" I yelped.  
  
Prewett fixed me with a glare that would have caused anyone with a lesser temper to piss themselves. "Mr. Avery, please make sure Mr. Snape makes it up to the Hospital Wing safely. As for you, Black," he spoke my name as if it hurt him to say it, "I want you to bottle that potion so Mr. Snape can get a grade for it. You'll have plenty of time to regret your F on this project, since you'll be spending detention with me for the next two weeks."  
  
I fought the desire to scream, and instead bottled the potion precisely as asked—except, of course, for the small vial I pocketed.  
  
Snape'll get his.  
  
March 10, 1978  
  
I love it when I get my proper revenge. Especially when I don't get caught.  
  
Prongs, Moony, & I managed to corner Snape after slipping him the truth potion (Peter was too afraid to join us). It was possibly the funniest thing ever, but I include two perfect blackmail questions...  
  
"So, any crushes, Severus?" Prongs asked, grinning widely.  
  
"Jezabelle Marguilles," he confessed.  
  
"Isn't she a fourth year?!?" Remus yelped. "The one that's screwed the entire population of fourth years?"  
  
"So we know now what he thinks about all day. He's even grosser than his hygiene would suggest," I pointed out. "Hmm... how about... any pets or stuffed animals at home, Sev?"  
  
"A rabbit," he confessed with a dark look. He seemed to be trying to fight the potion.  
  
I started laughing so hard I hit the floor. Remus finally managed to uncover that the rabbit's name was Trixie before the three of us bolted for Gryffindor Tower, chased by a now as-normal-as-he-gets Severus Snape.  
  
Of course, we shared our information with Peter upon reaching our dorm.  
  
Yes, it's well worth two weeks of detention to know that Snape has a rabbit named Trixie and a crush on the school slut. 


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Look, see, I've been writing!! This chapter's rather short—I was working on my James fic, though that chapter's also very short—but I've already started chapter five. I promise more will come as school begins to die down... of course, how *much* more will come will depend on you out there! So Review!  
  
And thanks to my reviewers who I don't guilt trip into it...  
  
Allthewhitehorses: Sirius is wonderful, isn't he?? Glad you're enjoying this, hope you like this chapter as well.  
  
Silvermoon: You reviewed every chapter!! Wow!! I'm happy! Hope you like Lyria, she was such fun to create... and she's not really a Mary Sue. I don't break noses for fun or anything, nor am I quite that psychoanalytic. More of her will come. I don't think Remus is a softie either, but compared to Sirius, he rather is. Nope, it wasn't poor Sirius' fault, but don't worry, they'll get even soon.  
  
The next chapter might be a bit more serious (horrible pun intended, of course,) but more pranks will follow, so stay tuned!!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
March 17, 1978  
  
Today, yet another beautiful thing happened.  
  
Quidditch match against Slytherin!  
  
Everyone on the Gryffindor team is in our year. Moony's the seeker, Dell Greenleaf plays keeper, Lyri & I are beaters, and Prongs, Zachary Wood, and Frank Longbottom are our Chasers.  
  
The Slytherins are also very good- Malfoy, Avery, Nott, Flint, Goyle, Snape & Rosier. They usually put up a good game, and this one was for the cup. We've rather been alternating winning years and it really  
  
should have been Slytherin's year.  
  
It wasn't.  
  
Of course, the real challenge is usually their beaters and the seeker. Goyle & Snape are pretty vicious, and they try to keep Remus busy so Malfoy can get the snitch. They also ususally try to disable James, since he's our best chaser.  
  
Lyria kept Goyle busy trying to defend Rosier and the chasers, more than he could handle. She's little for a beater, but she's fast enough to head off the bludgers. I occupied myself with attacking Malfoy &  
  
giving Snape problems.  
  
It was a very, very long game.  
  
After two hours, we were tied.  
  
I was trying to knock Snape out where Malfoy saw the snitch. He & Moony were flying after it – there was just one problem. Malfoy's got some flashy new broom, and Moony had no chance of catching Malfoy. I hit the bludger at Malfoy. He swerved, and I heard a thud and cheering from Gryffindor.  
  
Moony'd caught the snitch.  
  
And Snape'd taken a bludger to the head.  
  
Ah, victory.  
  
And now back to the party!  
  
  
  
March 18 1978  
  
Oh, my head.  
  
And I was doing so well.  
  
Party was awesome, though. Yet again, *almost* got lucky. Next time I try, I'm stunning Peter first!  
  
At least Lyria wasn't embarrassed. She must've been drunk. Or else we're really getting into serious stuff. Not really sure how I feel about that. I mean, plenty of people are getting serious. Lily & Prongs, for  
  
example-- reckon they'll be engaged by graduation. Remus and Dell are close, too, though I don't think they're that close. Yet.  
  
I mean, they've all been going out for years. Lyria & I have only been going for 6 months (see, I remembered! the 15th!), and we haven't discussed the L-word.  
  
Well, guess we'll see what happens.  
  
March 25, 1978  
  
ALBUS DUMLEDORE IS PSYCHO!  
  
Okay, so for the 6th years, there's always a spring project that doesn't pertain to magic. Usually, it's like interviewing someone you don't know or something. Well this year, the headmaster himself came up with the idea of mock marriages to help us learn about relationships.  
  
AHHHHH!  
  
If they don't let us pick, I'm going to die.  
  
  
  
March 26, 1978  
  
I'm going to die.  
  
They're using something to impartially pair us. These fun things are going to last a month, and they're doing this later today.  
  
I AM THE GREATEST!  
  
Lyria & I got paired together. Lily & Prongs did too, and so did Moony & Dell. Peter got paired with little Kylie Prewett from Ravenclaw.  
  
Anyway, it's good to be me because I'm semi-married to Lyria. And because there's a formal spring dance soon at which I can make Snape look dumb.  
  
March 29, 1978  
  
Full moon last night. Rough one for Moony- he went up to the infirmary & I reckon he'll be there all day. Scratch marks all over, got clawed a couple times. Lucky for me, none of them show. Prongs is limping a little today.  
  
Thank God Madam Pomfrey doesn't ask questions.  
  
Pretty tired today. Lyria noticed & asked if I was okay. I told her I'm fine, which is true, and then that I appreciated her wifely concern.  
  
"Wiseass," she teased me. "But you are making a pretty good husband."  
  
I suffered a period of complete horror before I realized she was joking.  
  
Lyria laughed at my expression and kissed me. 


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Yay! Thanks to everyone who's still reading with me here, and an extra special thanks & a warm fuzzy to Ignominia for making my day by complementing Lyria. Go read her Remus fic, it's brilliantly done as well. More on this story is coming soon, as well as a whole new edition of the James Potter series.  
  
Please note this chapter deals with some more serious (forgive the pun, there's just no other word to put there!) issues, but more pranking good stuff is forthcoming as well... Enjoy!!  
  
  
  
  
  
April 1st, 1978  
  
Ah, April Fools Day. The most glorious day of the year.  
  
It began with the stupid little pranks on fellow Gryffindors - you know, the kind of thing Peeves does every day. Even Lyria & Lily don't mind these pranks.  
  
And then the fun began.  
  
Lucius Malfoy arrived for breakfast with red hair. Mind you, I don't mean *natural* red. I mean true Gryffindor scarlet, courtesy of Remus Lupin and James Potter.  
  
I chose to bless all of Slytherin house with my creativity. Peter let me in (as he turns into a nice, small animal), and by the time I left, chaos was  
  
guaranteed.  
  
Oh, it was perfect.  
  
Evan Rosier and his buddy Avery blundered upon the common room first, at about 4am, and started screaming so loud that everyone woke up & ran down to see who'd died.  
  
"Someone's been in here!!" Rosier bellowed. And indeed he was right...  
  
I'd adorned the entire common room in red and gold.  
  
The Slytherins were practically in tears. The rest of the school, however, laughed delightedly.  
  
Dumbledore clapped his hands and the room went back to green & silver. "No harm done," he said cheerfully. "Back to bed!"  
  
April 5th, 1978  
  
I'm trying to plan something special for Lyri & mine's 7-month (It's the fifteenth! See, I remembered!) See, we didn't do anything for our 6-month because we were fighting. I have no ideas, so I guess I'll have to ask the guys or something.  
  
We haven't really had any fights or anything recently, it's kind of weird. I guess we're growing up or something...  
  
April 9th, 1978  
  
Owls have been pouring in. The Dark Lord is on the rise, and people are being murdered almost daily. No one I know really well has gotten a death notice yet, but lots of Hufflepuff & Ravenclaw are losing parents  
  
and family. I'm really glad Orion is here and safe.  
  
April 14th, 1978  
  
So much for plans for tomorrow.  
  
Lyria got an owl this morning. Her brother's dead.  
  
It's so strange to think of Eryk Strider as dead. I've known him all my life, and now he's dead. He'll never be stranding there, waiting for Lyria to get off the train like he is every year.  
  
I spent most of the day in McGonagall's Office with Lyria. She leaned against me and cried all morning. I just held her and let her cry until she left this afternoon.  
  
I felt awful sitting there like somehow I should have protected her. I hope she'll be alright - she was so close to him.  
  
April 21, 1978  
  
Lyria's still not back yet. I mean, it's strange to have gone a week without seeing her.  
  
We all left last weekend to attend the services and everything. I had no idea how big Lyria's family was, and every last one of them was there.  
  
She should be back within a week.  
  
I hope she's doing alright...  
  
April 28, 1978  
  
Lyri came back yesterday!  
  
She's trying to catch up, so basically everyone offered to help. She's still pretty easily upset, but I think she's glad to be back.  
  
April 29, 1978  
  
Today, I got a week's detention for fighting with Malfoy.  
  
Even the Slytherins have been nice to Lyria – Snape went so far as to offer to help her catch up in Potions - until today. We were walking up to Charms after Potions, and Malfoy was walking behind us.  
  
"Pity he didn't kill her first, but it won't be long until all the Striders get what's coming to them," he spoke up nice & loudly.  
  
Lyria looked to be on the verge of tears. I whirled around and lunged at him in rage, ignoring the crowd of people ( & nearly everything else). James and Remus joined, so naturally Malfoy's bodyguard types had to  
  
do something. Peter told us that most of the Slytherins were rooting for us to win.  
  
Thankfully, it was McGonagall who found us. "Twenty  
  
points from each house for fighting! Mr. Black, Mr. Potter, & Mr. Lupin, follow me."  
  
"They were provoked, Professor," Snape told her, casting a dark look in Malfoy's direction. The three of us shared a look. Snape defending us? That was a first (and likely a last...).  
  
McGonagall said nothing, merely, let the three of us off to her office. "Now. Mr. Lupin, what just happened?"  
  
They always ask Remus.  
  
Moony explained everything in his usual factual manner.  
  
"I'm afraid I have to give you a week's detention for attacking a fellow student, Sirius," McGonagall said. "But five points each for your sympathy toward another student."  
  
I blinked. Had we just earned points for jumping Malfoy? And had McGonagall called me by first name??  
  
"You may go," she told us, and we took off for Charms.  
  
May 3, 1978  
  
Not much of interest going on. Going to try yet again to do something nice for the 15th, I hope it works out this time finally.  
  
May 14th, 1978  
  
I think I did something wrong again, but I have no idea what I did. Lyria's been wandering around looking hurt all day. Maybe it's because tomorrow's a month since Eryk died? It could be a rough day for her- glad I made plans for tomorrow night, it should help take her mind off it.  
  
May 15, 1978  
  
I am a moron!!  
  
I messed up the date of our anniversary. It was yesterday.  
  
Everything had become clear now.  
  
I'm off to explain with my mournful puppy face. More later. 


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Ah, another year come and gone... in other words, school is winding down, so much will come. This is only a short tying-up-sixth-year chapter, so please bear with it. Chapter 7 plans are underway. Also, please notice the addition of new chapters and new stories on my account, and check out some of those. Hope this tides y'all over!  
  
And now to thee who hast reviewed...  
  
wellduh: Yes, Padfoot has done something rather ignorant. Never fear, Lyria appreciates and loves him in spite of himself...  
  
Onward to story!  
  
May 20, 1978  
  
Things are okay with Lyria now, despite looking like a bumbling idiot in front of the common room. I even let her embarrass the hell out of me this time (after all, it's not like I won't do the same to her at some point).  
  
Got to go, off to snog. Just haven't told her that yet.  
  
May 26, 1978  
  
Hogsmeade weekend! Zonko's & Honeydukes with the guys, & catch up with Lyria & Lily in the Three Broomsticks. Need to get a new quill, and I want a new telescope.  
  
Prank plans continue.  
  
May 27, 1978  
  
Peter ate himself sick & refuses to go to Madam Pomfrey. Gross.  
  
Anyway, quite a crowd in the Three Broomsticks today. James & I joked around & had the place cracking up. We're also planning good use for the new power dungbomb- it's going to be great!  
  
June 1, 1978  
  
Dropped a dungbomb in Snape's hood in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Everyone cracked up, but sitting behind him was even less pleasant than usual.  
  
"We're all sure you don't shower -- way to prove it," I groaned.  
  
He whirled with a snarl. "I'm surprised you even noticed, you're so stupid."  
  
"Nice try, but it really wasn't funny. Try again if you like," I offered.  
  
He turned back around to the front. Professor Zangari's general rule is that if we aren't disturbing the whole class, he leaves us alone, so he didn't say anything.  
  
Then came divination. Professor Risk "Foresaw" much suffering in my future yet again. It got old third year. Of course, she also "foresaw" Lyria's death, so we don't pay attention to her. Lyria switched to Arithmancy with Remus and they always talk about how at least Profesosr Kirstein teaches them something. Seems today Professor Kirstein sent Snape out of class, he stunk so badly.  
  
June 19, 1978  
  
Been a while since I wrote. Exams. Going to die. I'd forgotten all about them until Lily said something. She & Lyri have been studying like crazy. After the OWLs last year, I figured out studying might help, so I got busy myself.  
  
They start tomorrow - Potions & Transfiguration tomorrow, then Charms & Divination, Herbology & DADA, History of Magic & Astronomy, then Muggle Studies.  
  
More after exams...  
  
June 26th, 1978  
  
Hah! I beat Snape in Potions! Granted, it was only by a point, but it's definitely bragging rights since I nearly failed at the beginning of the year.  
  
Did well all around actually. Even squeaked buy in History- not bad since I draw or nap in there all the time. 99 in Astronomy rather pissed me off -ONE POINT! Herbology is not my strong suit. Oh well. Lyri did just a bit better- 100 in DADA, 98 in Potions, and of course 90 or above in everything else. Lil & Prongs both have insanely high grades - reckon they'll be Head Girl & Boy. Well, time to pack- nearly time to go.... 


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Yay, new chapter!! And a long chapter, because the last few have been pathetically short. Please check out "Story of a Cat" if you get a chance, because it's fun to write. In the meantime, here's a bit of this. To the reviewers:  
  
Vixxy: Thank you so much!! I feel so special when people say that!!  
  
wellduh: I know, that's the end of the year, but of course I'm going to write about the summer, AND next year! Give everyone a chance to see how much havoc Siri can cause outside of school too...  
  
And to Miss Amidala Greenleaf, you are more than welcome for "Watched." Glad you enjoyed!  
  
Onward to the Journal!!  
  
  
  
June 29, 1978  
  
AAAAAAAAAAH! I've been home less than three days and I'm already going crazy!!!  
  
At least James lives next door. I'm begging my dad to let me have Moony & Wormtail over for a week or so (but working around the lunar calendar's rather a nuisance) before I go right nutters, but so far he hasn't budged. Hopefully Prongs'll have better luck.  
  
Anyway, Lyria's right down the street, so I haven't been totally alone on that front either. Of course, every time I go over there, I have to run by Greasy Git's house and pray that Cassi doesn't come to the door thinking I'm Snape, but usually I'll owl her and meet her on neutral territory. She's going to invite Lily up for a few weeks and then the four of us can be crazy together.  
  
Have to go for a bit – taking Lyria out for the evening.  
  
July 3, 1978  
  
My dad is the most wonderful person on the face of the earth.  
  
He's going on a business trip. Orion is going off to stay with some relative, but *I* get to stay home, and better yet, he's even letting me have Remus and Peter over. James is going to stay the week, and since the Striders (at least the parents) are going to be gone with Dad, Lily & Lyria are going to stay over too. The six of us get the house to ourselves! Score!!  
  
Anyway, everyone's showing up in like two days, so I have to be the mature, responsible older son until Dad leaves. Then I can make that fast trip to Diagon Alley and prepare for a remarkable week.  
  
July 4, 1978  
  
Make that eight of us; Lyria, not wanting Remus & Peter to feel left out, invited Dell Greenleaf and Kylie Prewett. (No relation to the Potions Asshole, er, Master, thank God.)  
  
Tomorrow morning Dad leaves, and everyone will be here by noon...  
  
July 5, 1978  
  
My house is crazy now, but it's so much fun. And technically, it's the 6th.  
  
Anyway, I'm glad Mum & Dad bought a big house when they moved in here, because there's plenty of room now. Not that we're using the bedrooms currently; we just kind of flopped out all over the living room. Lyria's curled up next to me (we landed the sofa!), sleeping, with her hair all over the place. She cut it again, it's cute on her. Very, very cute. She didn't even take her glasses off, just fell asleep on my shoulder. It's kinda nice, having her right there. I think I understand a little better about how Prongs is so obsessed with Lily.  
  
Okay, so I'm going soft.  
  
She's still adorable.  
  
But back to the point, the day was crazy. Thankfully, Remus & I can cook (Peter's specialty tends to be in the consumption end of meals), or else we'd have had problems. (Prongs & Lily are too busy curled up on the sofa to much care. Lyria offered to help, but I decided to be a nice guy and cook for her.)  
  
Yeah, so we've been tossing around new prank methods for a while, and if I can move Lyria without waking her up, we're going to go down the street and have fun with a certain Slytherin.  
  
July 6, 1978  
  
It's the sixth proper now, about 11:30 in the morning. The ladies offered to make lunch, and we took them up on it.  
  
We got to Snape's house around 5 AM and slipped into his room with the assistance of the invisibility cloak. Loaded the place with dungbombs and several other fun devices. Then we slipped out—and just in time.  
  
Oh, the stink!! It was great!!  
  
He flew to the window, looking for us, but we were under the cloak trying our hardest not to crack up. We ran back to my house, tripping over each other the whole way. Finally we got home and could laugh (had to be at least a half hour before we composed ourselves). 


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Here we go again; the long awaited something happens this scene! Siri's dad comes home , and there is a bit of a skirmish.... Enjoy!  
  
I forget where I read it, and I think I've read it more than once, but I didn't originate the idea of Sirius being a Scot. Yay Scotland!  
  
Oh, yeah, and it doesn't belong to me, in case you forgot.  
  
  
  
  
  
July 7, 1978  
  
Happy birthday to me.  
  
Yeah, it's kind of a weird morning.  
  
Lyria and I have been sharing a room, and a bed, and last night, well, yeah. You can figure it out.  
  
Not that I'm complaining or anything, don't get me wrong. And I definitely don't regret anything. It's just kind of different now. A little bit weird.  
  
I guess it's weird because I actually care about her. If I didn't, I probably wouldn't be thinking about it or anything.  
  
She's still curled up sleeping. In my bed. She looks awful cute like that... even saying that is kind of strange. Lyria's sleeping in my bed.  
  
I think I could get used to it.  
  
  
  
July 8, 1978  
  
I am in trouble beyond trouble.  
  
Dad came home. This morning. Days early.  
  
Well, thank God the girls had run down to Lyri's. They made it in just before her parents got back. Cassi, it seems, is at Snape's, so the fact that Lyri had some friends over is really nothing. Plus, I think if dad had walked in on me and Lyria he'd have Avada Kedavraed me and hung my dead form up outside the house as a warning to Orion.  
  
Reckon I'm going to get beaten 'til I can't sit if he *does* find out.  
  
......  
  
Dad is the kindest, most understanding man in the world.  
  
He just laughed off finding my friends here and had us clean up the mess we left in the kitchen. Better yet, they can stay the rest of the week.  
  
July 9, 1978  
  
Being as it was the last day we were all here, we all wandered upstairs into my room, and I was humiliated beyond belief. It's all James' fault.  
  
James was fishing around in my closet, and he found (stuffed in the very back for fear of such a thing) something I wish he hadn't.  
  
Well, my family's from Scotland. And, well, men in Scotland don't always wear pants.  
  
Okay, now THAT didn't sound right. Let's try again.  
  
James found a kilt in the back of the closet.  
  
He, of course, started laughing so hard we thought he was going to die of oxygen deprivation.  
  
"What is it? Are you okay?" Remus asked him.  
  
Still laughing, James tossed the offensive object out of the closet.  
  
I proceeded to turn bright red and hide my face in my pillow. Peter gaped open-mouthed at me, and Remus tried to keep his composure, while James rolled around on the floor in mirth.  
  
"It's not *funny,*" I snapped at him.  
  
Peter continued to gape. "You mean you and Lyri..."  
  
"No, it's mine," I told him sharply. Yes we had, but he didn't need to know.  
  
Peter gaped all the more. "You- you're a – there's no way –-"  
  
Remus sighed. "He's a Scot. You mean to tell me you didn't pick up the accent in six years, Peter, *or* that his house is in Scotland? It's just a kilt, guys, seriously. Grow up."  
  
God bless Remus Lupin, even though he spends entirely too much time in the library.  
  
"*Just* a kilt? Just a kilt?!? Can you see him-" He pointed at me where I sat on the bed, "In a kilt?"  
  
"There's a nice sword that goes with the whole outfit, I'd be delighted to give you a demonstration," I snapped.  
  
"So, is it true that you really don't wear underpants with those things?" James continued to roll around helplessly on the floor.  
  
That was it. I mean, I'm not going to go out there hollering that the English are evil or something, but I am proud of my heritage and I didn't appreciate being laughed at by my supposed best friend. "Go home, Potter."  
  
*That* stopped the laughter completely. "What?" He asked incredulously.  
  
"Go. Home." I said flatly. "Yes, you heard me right."  
  
He stood up. "Padfoot, I wasn't trying to offend you or anything."  
  
"Well, way to screw up, then." I told him. "We can talk about it when I'm not going to crack a table over your head if I have to look at you another second."  
  
He decided to err on the side of caution. "I'll owl you when I get home." He left and flooed home.  
  
Remus and Peter hung around until they had to leave to be back for dinner.  
  
I continued to sit upstairs until Orion came in to get me. "Come on, it's time for dinner and Dad's not going to let me eat until you get downstairs."  
  
At that, I had to pull myself out of my trance-like state (Lyria would have argued that I was thinking for once, and it was a miracle. I'll have to tell her later, I'm sure she'll make me laugh over it.) and go downstairs to be cheerful with Dad and Orion.  
  
I'm going to go bother Lyri in the morning. 


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Nope, Harry Potter's still not mine. Enjoy.  
  
July 15, 1978  
  
Talked to James finally today. Lyria and Lily made us, basically. He was at Lyri's house, supposedly to hang out with Lily in a nice middle ground, and Lyria had invited me over. They locked us up down in her basement at about 10 AM and said they'd come down with lunch.  
  
We spent a good half hour just sitting down there glaring at each other.  
  
"Don't see what you blew a fit for," James muttered.  
  
"Don't see why you made an issue over it," I shot back.  
  
He had the decency to stare at his feet. "I thought it was funny."  
  
"Yeah, it's real funny to make fun of your best friend just because he's got a kilt. Hilarious, in fact. Isn't it?" I barked at him.  
  
"I wasn't making fun of you... well, I didn't mean to," he amended. "I wasn't trying to insult you or anything, I didn't think-"  
  
"Well no kidding," I said. "You've known me how long and you've never made the connection that gee, my family's from Scotland, which means I'd probably be upset if you started cracking on me over something that's just part of my culture? I mean, it's not like we live there or anything, oh wait, yes we do!"  
  
Truthfully, I wasn't really mad anymore, but I wasn't going to admit it. It was pretty rare that I could get an apology out of James Potter, and damnit, I was entitled this time.  
  
"I'm sorry, okay? I'm an ass and I'm sorry. How can I make up for it?" He finally asked after chewing on my outburst for a while.  
  
"I want *you* to wear a kilt for a day." I said, with my most solemn expression on my face.  
  
James' jaw dropped.  
  
I cracked up.  
  
"You - you - argh!!" James finally managed.  
  
I continued to laugh. "Come on, Prongs, we've got to figure a way out of here."  
  
"I think I've got one," He replied. "Tell me you've got a dungbomb on you."  
  
"Don't I always?" I countered.  
  
"There's a vent behind you, reckon it leads up to the kitchen. That's probably where they are, trying to hear what's going on down here," he informed me.  
  
"Right." I tossed the dungbomb up through the vent and heard yelps coming from the room above us.  
  
"Okay, okay, we'll let you two go," Lyria said, hurrying over to unlock the door.  
  
James and I grinned and shoved open the door at the exact same time.  
  
A bucket of freezing cold water fell on us.  
  
"Alright, this round, you win," I conceded to the ladies, who were sitting at the table laughing delightedly. "We're going to my house, you two have fun." I kissed Lyri - she gave me that mischievous smile - and Prongs & I left and wandered down the street, soaked through but pleased anyway.  
  
July 31, 1978  
  
The summer is passing in its ever-boring fashion, but it's still nice not to be at school. I actually did all that homework foolishness over the past few weeks. Figure if I make 'em all think I'm really going to try to be a "good kid" this year, it'll be that much more fun to prank.  
  
Oh, and the usual letter came today, along with the absolutely enormous list of things that are supposed to be forbidden to be used in corridors and classes. They send it to the four of us every year, which is a source of a certain pride, not that any of us pay it any attention. I can't figure out why they keep bothering; I reckon McGonagall just feels she's got to.  
  
Planning to meet up with everyone in Diagon Alley the second week of August.  
  
August 13, 1978  
  
Going to Diagon Alley tomorrow. Been spending time with Lyria.  
  
BORED. BORED. BORED.  
  
Oh, yes, and out of boredom, today I put a biting teacup in with the dishes and it attacked Orion. He nearly had a heart attack.  
  
August 14, 1978  
  
Today was absolutely wonderful fun.  
  
We all met up in Diagon Alley and found that Snape had also chosen today to get his things. I, of course, refused to let this opportunity go to waste.  
  
Lyria and the girls fled from the four of us almost immediately.  
  
Peter, the poor soul, had come with his mother, and out of kindness James hung out with them.  
  
Remus followed me around with the goal of "saving me from myself." A noble mission, but alas, impossible.  
  
I made a quick trip to Gambol & Japes and stocked up on dungbombs, and then I proceeded to search for Snape.  
  
"Hark, Moony! Yonder! I see the Greasy One! Fear the power of the grease!!" I called out.  
  
Remus gave me a look. "Sirius... did you forget to take your medication??"  
  
"My dear, dear Moony, I am this wonderful naturally!" I replied in a fit of exuberant spirits.  
  
"I thought you stopped drinking after New Year's."  
  
I decided to ignore that comment and continue in my mission to make Snape's stench as disgusting as his hair. He had a parcel of books or something, and I attached the dungbomb to the string while he was otherwise occupied and then ran off.  
  
Remus chased after me, and we met up with everyone for lunch and then went home.  
  
August 25, 1978  
  
Bored bored bored bored bored bored bored bored bored bored bored.  
  
In case you didn't get the hint, I'm bored.  
  
Lyri and her family are gone until the start of term, otherwise I'd have plenty to keep me occupied. Okay, that sounded wrong. Yeah, we're still... involved, but not like all the time.  
  
I wrote to James a few days ago and told him of my condition. I have proven it is not possible to die of boredom.  
  
He wrote back, and here's how the note goes:  
  
Dear Padfoot,  
  
I too am bored half to death. You have my sympathy.  
  
In order to help myself preserve my sanity, I have begun coming up with a Daily Pondering to... well... ponder.  
  
And so I offer you today's pondering:  
  
How do you tell the difference between a boy fish and a girl fish?  
  
Really curious to know the answer, Prongs  
  
So that was totally pointless, but it was worth a try.  
  
And it's going to drive me bonkers if I don't figure out the answer to that question. 


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: FF.N is evil, I tell you!! I'm going to start putting everything up on my own website, which can be found at http://www.geocities.com/leiaamidala916 so that the next time this happens, I'll be able to tell people where to go to read my work.  
  
I've been rather neglecting this in favor of an insanely long AU piece which will soon be forthcoming. This is probably about half-done now, though, if you were wondering...  
  
Enjoy!! And remember, Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. Also, the musical Brigadoon isn't mine either, but as I made Sirius a Scot, I thought of the most brilliant way to make sure there's no hard feelings between James and Sirius, and so they're doing a musical at Hogwarts. Unrealistic? Probably. Too bad!  
  
August 27, 1978  
  
The fins are just slightly different on different gender fish.  
  
Or you could just ask the person at the pet shop, as Orion kindly pointed out.  
  
September 1, 1978  
  
Seventh year!  
  
Kinda scary, honestly. And it leaves everyone thinking about what they're going to do once they get out of school.  
  
That's even scarier.  
  
James, of course, wants to play Quidditch, and thinks I should do the same, but I don't know. Lyria's obviously going to be an Auror. Poor Rem'll be glad to get any work, he says, but he'll manage. He's too stubborn not to, honestly.  
  
Okay, that's enough thinking for a while.  
  
I actually wrote because someone got the bright idea of having the seventh years do a musical. Yay. It really could be fun, though, I'll admit. Those of us who are interested will meet tomorrow morning, and Professor Meyer from Astronomy will announce the musical and such things. We're performing in early October, before Quidditch really picks up, so I might do something.  
  
September 3, 1978  
  
I'm in over my head.  
  
Way, way over my head.  
  
Well, see, the selected musical is Brigadoon, which takes place in Scotland in the 1700s. And we did auditions yesterday night, and just for the heck of it, I tried out. And this morning, Professor Meyer was kind enough to tell me I'm playing Tommy, who's the guy from New York in the 1900s that stumbles into the village of Brigadoon, which is still stuck in the 1700s.  
  
Well, at least I don't have to wear the kilt on stage. I don't know who's playing Charlie, but I pity the guy. He gets to dance and sing in a kilt. And I for one predict he gets made fun of for the rest of the year, seeing as my best friend made fun of me for it and it's part of *my* culture.  
  
Yeah, I'm still a little sore about that.  
  
On the plus side, Lyria's playing Fiona, who's the lead character. She'll be good, she's got a nice voice. And even better, Fiona & Tommy get together by the end.  
  
September 6, 1978  
  
Got my first detention of the year from Prewett. This time it was Snape cracking on Peter, so I sort of cracked him over the head with my cauldron.  
  
On the plus side, Snape won't be in classes for a few days. On the minus side, fifty points from Gryffindor and detention.  
  
Also, Lyri & I were lucky enough to get caught last night when we were snogging in the common room. Thankfully, it was just Lily & James on their way out for their own evening necking session.  
  
September 8, 1978  
  
Lyria noticed that I'm still a little sore over the kilt thing. Not sure what tipped her off, though I guess it could have been the fact that James mentioned my kilt at musical practice and I flashed him the Look of Death. (Learned that look from Lyria. It's come in handy.)  
  
Anyway, she decided she has to fix things somehow, so she and Orion are plotting something.  
  
Which means avoid them both like the plague for a while.  
  
September 12, 1978  
  
I nearly forgot about Lyria's birthday.  
  
It's the sixteenth, thank God, so I have four days to work something out. I don't think forgetting her birthday would be conducive to getting some alone time with her any time in the near future.  
  
Also, must remember that two days from now we'll have been dating for a year. An entire year! Holy shit!  
  
Must ask Lily if it'd be cheesy to do some sort of combined thing on the fifteenth. Probably.  
  
September 14, 1978  
  
It's lunch. My inherent stupidity seems to have struck again.  
  
I sort of told Prewett off in class and got detention.  
  
I missed Lyria at breakfast, so I gave her her anniversary present before class started. Prewett came nosing around to see what was going on, and I told him to get stuffed. For some reason, he got mad at me, took some points, and gave me detention. The nerve of that bastard, giving me detention when I have plans with my girl for our anniversary!  
  
On the plus side, I did at least make Lyria laugh when I told Prewett to get stuffed, and she deliberately made a ruckus in class so she got herself a detention too.  
  
Not the most romantic of plans, but hey, we'll be together at least.  
  
It's still kind of weird that she *wants* to spend with me. Not because I'm a Quidditch player or good at Transfiguration or the local cutie like other various girls wanted to, but because I'm me. I've been trying to figure out for a while what I did to deserve her, and I've decided I don't.  
  
James was polite enough to agree with me when I told him that, so I had to kick him in the head.  
  
September 15, 1978  
  
Prewett left Lyria and me alone in the dungeons to clean up something last night at detention. If he had any idea what we'd done on his desk, he'd probably shit himself.  
  
And I realized that I can just take last night's plans and move them to tomorrow for Lyria's birthday. I'm so clever.  
  
Musical practice is going pretty well, and Lyria still hasn't tried to make me get over "the kilt issue," as Remus has taken to calling it. Moony, it turns out, was brave enough to take the part of Angus MacGuffie and also wear a kilt on stage. Lily's playing Jeanie MacLaren, Fiona's sister, and Orion's playing Charlie. I think those are the only Gryffindors with major parts.  
  
September 16, 1978  
  
Well, it's actually the 17th now. Oh well. Just got back to the dorm.  
  
I borrowed Prongs's Invisibility Cloak, and Lyria and I slipped out of the castle for a moonlight broom ride and midnight picnic. And a few other things that I can't describe because if I do and someone finds this, Lyria will suffocate me.  
  
September 25, 1978  
  
I have decided that James Potter is a mental case and should be sedated for his own personal safety. Of course, Remus told me it was about time I realize my best friend belongs in St. Mungo's, but this time he's really lost it.  
  
He's going to propose to Lily at Christmas.  
  
Remus says it's cute, because James is Head Boy and Lil's Head Girl. (Of course, Moony's also a sap.)  
  
I admire his nerve, but think it's misplaced. Not that Lily isn't a good kid, and not that they wouldn't be great together, but holy shit, he just turned seventeen and he's talking about getting married!  
  
And we selected January first for our Master Prank. We're gonna go mess in the Slytherin Common Room in a few weeks, though.  
  
Play set for October first. Must work on my New York accent. It's very hard when you're from Scotland. 


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: More fun! The musical, Sirius gets over the kilt issue, Peter gets a girlfriend, a wonderful fun prank... and hey, where'd Remus go?? Discussion in the boys' dorm revolves around their love lives... To Bookworm2000, Antares, and Vixxy, thank you so much for your kindly reviews! Enjoy, and Harry Potter belongs to the brilliant and talented J.K. Rowling. Brigadoon, alas, is still not mine, though I suggest the soundtrack. 'Tis a good musical!  
  
Special Note: THE MASTER PRANK IS COMING IN CHAPTER 12!!!  
  
October 1, 1978  
  
OH MY GOD.  
  
Lyria is brilliant. At least, I think it was her idea.  
  
Tonight we performed the musical. It went PERFECTLY. There was just one thing that wasn't quite according to plan.  
  
Orion didn't play Charlie.  
  
Prongs did.  
  
Prongs, on stage, in a kilt, singing and dancing and having a wonderful time for himself. Thank the Lord I was off-stage the first time Charlie's on stage, or I think I would have just lost it totally. As it was, I was laughing so hard I was nearly crying.  
  
He actually did really well, even with the traditional dances and stuff. Turns out Orion's been teaching James the part on the side while pretending he was going to do it.  
  
I am completely over "the kilt issue."  
  
And that's the best part of the whole damn musical.  
  
October 7, 1978  
  
Last year, I accidentally discovered the mess you can make with a healing potion, a dungbomb, and a firework. Yesterday evening, we created a minor explosion in the Slytherin Common Room.  
  
It fired brown gunk everywhere, and they *still* haven't gotten it all cleaned up. We were all laughing so hard under the invisibility cloak I'm surprised we made it back to Gryffindor Tower safely.  
  
Something's weird, though. Moony vanished after dinner, and no one has any idea where he went. I'd be concerned, except I know he'd have told us if it was something major.  
  
I actually did homework tonight, aren't you proud?  
  
October 10, 1978  
  
Moony mysteriously disappeared again tonight. And *now* it's starting to bother me. I mean, he shared his biggest secret with us, so what's he hiding now? It can't be that big a thing.  
  
And, much to the delight of everyone, Wormtail asked Kylie Prewett out today. Very exciting. A major step for Peter, who is *still* entirely too shy. I think that's why he takes the form of a rat when he transforms. Prongs is a white stag because he likes to draw attention to himself, and I'm a dog because I'm just so cute and loveable. At least, that's my opinion. Remus insists I'm full of shit.  
  
October 13, 1978  
  
Mystery solved!  
  
Today, we found out that Dell Greenleaf has been vanishing every time Remus does, so we waited up for him to get back.  
  
"How's Dell?" I muttered as Remus entered.  
  
"Good... oh, I mean... uh..." Remus blushed.  
  
"About damn time you two get personal," James said, grinning widely. "Why didn't you tell us?"  
  
"A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell," Remus said.  
  
"Yeah, but I don't see any gentlemen around here," I countered.  
  
"And did you just expect me to just divulge this information? When, on the way to Transfiguration or something? 'By the way, guys, I slept with Lyndell last night?' Come off it." He tried to look disapproving but couldn't hide a smile.  
  
"Good for you two." I clapped him on the shoulder. "She's a good kid."  
  
"You and Lyria have... well... have you?" James asked suddenly.  
  
"I wasn't much up to making a public service announcement either. And you certainly didn't."  
  
"That's because we... we haven't," James muttered.  
  
"You haven't? I thought you two had been at it for ages!" Peter gaped.  
  
"It was just kind of assumed from how you two act." Remus also looked surprised.  
  
Suddenly James jumped out of bed. "Wait a minute. I've been dating Lyria longer than either of you have been dating your girlfriends, and I'm the only one of the three of us who hasn't?"  
  
"Well... I guess it sucks to be you, then." I grinned. "So is *that* why you're going to ask her to marry you?"  
  
"No! That's got nothing to do with it. I love her, and she loves me, but we... well... I don't believe you both have..." James was turning a shade of red to rival our Quidditch robes.  
  
I laughed, rolled over, and went back to sleep, leaving a much discomfited James to his thoughts. 


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: See, here is more. Much more. Enjoy. This chapter: A bit of snogging and some thinking too (actually, LOTS of thinking, the boy is growing up after all), and the Great Prank is finally revealed!!  
  
  
  
October 17, 1978  
  
I feel sort of weird. Weirder than usual, I guess Lyria would say.  
  
We were just cuddled up by the fire last night in the common room, the pair of us, and I was thinking how nice it was to have her there half-asleep on my shoulder. I could almost - if I tried very hard - picture us ten years from then, sitting in front of a fireplace in a house of our own. Maybe even a little Padfoot running around wreaking havoc?  
  
Whoa, whoa, wait. Had I actually just thought that?!? Good Lord! We hadn't even said 'I love you' yet and the thought of marrying her popped into my head! Was I turning into James or something??  
  
Then something clicked. I'd slept with her without telling her I loved her. Holy shit, I'd reached a new level of assholeism (if that's a word). So now what did I do, just blurt it out like a moron? I needed to tell her - I needed to tell her now - but... "Lyri?"  
  
She lifted her head to kiss my cheek. "Hmm?"  
  
Gulp. "I - I-"  
  
"You know where the bathroom is by now," she smirked.  
  
Way to ruin the mood. "Yes, and if I needed it you'd be the first to know because I'd be forced to make you move, but that's not what I was about to say."  
  
I guess the look on my face startled her, because she immediately grew concerned and turned to face me. "What's wrong, Siri?"  
  
Had I just earned a nickname? That was encouraging. "I love you," I said.  
  
"And I love you," she replied, delicately brushing hair out of my face.  
  
Okay... now what? Right, it might be an appropriate time to kiss her.  
  
Her hands found a way behind my neck, and I slipped my arms around her waist to pull her close.  
  
"Get a room!" Came the ever-familiar voice of my best friend.  
  
I flashed James a rude gesture.  
  
Lyria, however, retaliated with her most mischievous grin. "I think he's jealous because he's not getting any," she said, just loud enough that James and I could hear her.  
  
James turned flaming red and shot me an accusing look. "How do *you* know if I'm getting any or not?"  
  
"You better not be, as I'm best friends with your girlfriend and she certainly hasn't mentioned it." Lyria raised an eyebrow and casually sat on my lap.  
  
My stomach did a pleasant little flop and I held her close.  
  
October 20, 1978  
  
A day that will go down in Hogwarts history.  
  
The Great Prank was successful.  
  
What was the Great Prank, you ask?  
  
Well, we did a great deal of research. We did a great deal of planning. And we earned ourselves a great deal of detention.  
  
I got the idea some time ago. You see, I thought it would really be funny if we could make it rain inside the Great Hall. (Snow would have been even better but Moony flat-out refused. He hates snow.) Anyway, Remus got permission to get a book out of the Restricted Section for an essay he was writing for Charms about some of the various wards and enchantments on the castle. That was when things started pulling together. We found the name of the charm used to enchant the ceiling in the Great Hall to look like the sky.  
  
From there it was really pretty simple. Remus got permission to get another book out of the library on this particular charm. (See, they get suspicious when James & I ask for books from the Restricted Section. Heck, they get suspicious if we use the library.) It turned out, as James had expected and we'd all hoped, that the spell was originally written to enchant a ceiling to act like the sky outside. (What the purpose of a ceiling and roof would be in that case, I have no idea.)  
  
Well, we copied the spell and spent forever practicing to be sure we could do it. The Animagus thing made us pretty confident we could handle anything, and Moony could even help this time. Anyway, we performed the spell last night and then dungbombed the entire school this morning... except, of course, the Great Hall.  
  
The entire student body fled to the Hall for breakfast.  
  
And then it started to rain like hell.  
  
Absolute chaos broke out. It was great!! James conjured an umbrella for Lily, and I grabbed Lyria's wrists and whirled her around a few times, both of us soaked. Most of the school was ducking for cover and pulling up their hoods.  
  
I forget how long they gave us detention for, but it doesn't really matter. We pulled it off!!!  
  
November 21, 1978  
  
I've been thinking a lot about... well, pretty much everything. Before anyone has the nerve to say no wonder I haven't written in so long because that must take all my energy, I'm going to just start thinking on parchment. Maybe it'll help me sort crap out.  
  
Well, first there's the fact that after this year, I'm going to be a Hogwarts graduate instead of a Hogwarts student. (Lily already started studying for NEWTs, and I think Moony's not too far behind her. With everything else, he really needs those grades.) It took a long time, but I think I've finally figured out what I'm going to do with myself, too.  
  
More and more owls have been showing up with death notices. Nearly everyone in the school has had someone they knew die, even lots of the Slytherins. (Except, of course, the future Dark Wizard squad.) Anyway, I got to thinking about Eryk Strider and about my own Dad and everything that's going on, and I'm considering becoming an Auror. Hell, even my girlfriend will tell you I'm already crazy, so I really haven't anything to lose except my life, and I'm willing to risk that if it's going to help keep other people safe. As all-out idealistic as that sounds.  
  
And then there's my girlfriend. No problems at all on that front, and I think that's part of the problem. If that makes any sense, which it probably doesn't, but I'm wandering away from the point. Someone compared us to James and Lily a little while ago (yesterday, actually, I think, but doing not much besides thinking for 24 hours somehow makes it seem longer), and it kind of scared me. I don't think I'm ready to decide that I absolutely completely want to spend the entire rest of my life with Lyria, and I don't think she's ready for anything that major either. Not to say that it won't ever happen, but I think we both fancy our separate lives too much for that sort of commitment. (Scary word. Don't want to use that word again.) I know I want her to be part of my life after I graduate, so I reckon we have to talk about that.  
  
Won't that be a fun conversation... "Hey, Lyri, I've been thinking, and I don't want to marry you, but let's just keep up this snogging and occasional lovemaking thing, okay?"  
  
Note to self: Say anything close to that only when you're ready to have your head put through an end table.  
  
November 25, 1978  
  
Someone mentioned that it was a month from Christmas and Prongs nearly had a heart attack.  
  
"A month from now, I'm going to ask her..." He was rather staring off at nothing.  
  
"And you've been saying that for a few months. Besides, she's not about to laugh in your face," I assured him.  
  
"But... but... what if she doesn't want to marry me?" He asked.  
  
It was pitiful. "Then Moony & Wormtail & I will hole you up in the dorm and let you drink yourself sick, at which point we will bring Lily up to see the pathetic state you're in due to her refusal to marry you. And then she will either be overcome with pity and change her mind, or she will laugh in your face and you'll be too drunk to care."  
  
James blinked. "Thank you *so* much for that, Padfoot."  
  
"Hey, what are friends for?" I cracked.  
  
He grinned. "Come on... I vote for starting a small food fight at dinner, what do you think?"  
  
"I think that's a horrible idea. What good is a *small* food fight?"  
  
November 28, 1978  
  
Absolutely nothing has happened lately. And I mean *nothing.* Classes, detention, Quidditch, classes, detention, Quidditch. Occasionally after class I have Quidditch before I go to detention. It's bang-your-head- against-a-wall boredom. I'm even out of truly classic prank ideas. I think it's because nothing's going to top the one we already did... should have waited 'til Spring.  
  
Need to somehow liven things up, IMMEDIATELY, so I'm going to sit here and brainstorm until I get an idea.  
  
I just wasted half an hour staring out the window at a tree and nothing came to mind.  
  
Peter ran down to the kitchens. Remus and Dell are doing *homework*, blech, over in a corner of the common room. The sad part is they're actually doing homework!! James and Lily went "to the library," but I think they've just found somewhere private to snog.  
  
Wait! Of course! Lyria!  
  
November 29, 1978  
  
Just past midnight. I have no idea where Lyria learned to kiss, but I am most decidedly not complaining.  
  
December 1, 1978  
  
SNOW!!  
  
Girls against guys snowball fight out on the Quidditch Pitch, results later!!  
  
...............  
  
I've got snow in places I didn't know I had. And now it's all melting because I'm sitting in the common room, and I feel like someone dipped me in the lake. I suppose I should probably change.  
  
It started girls against guys, but then I accidentally hit Moony, who was sitting it out wrapped up in his cloak like he was going to freeze to death, in the face. For some reason, he got mad, and he physically picked me up and threw me into a snowdrift and proceeded to pelt me with snow. James decided this looked like tons of fun and joined Remus in the effort to smother me to death. Lyria rushed to my aid and got tossed into the snow next to me for her efforts, but she managed to take Prongs down with her. Lily of course rushed to assist, and Dell joined the party, but the end result was the group of us shoving each other around in the snow and dropping it down cloaks and such. This continued until dark, when it got very, very cold, which it has a way of doing after dark in December.  
  
Anyway, I lent Lyria my scarf on the way in (she was starting to turn blue), and my cloak appears to have gone completely missing, which means I will be very cold during Care of Magical Creatures tomorrow.  
  
December 5, 1978  
  
After nearly freezing to death, I FINALLY got my cloak back from stupid Moony, who nicked it during the fight and forgot he had it. Honestly, sometimes he's worse than me.  
  
December 10, 1978  
  
Enough snow that Herbology was cancelled. We went down to visit Hagrid, and James told him that he's planning to propose to Lily.  
  
After Hagrid got over the excitement at that, he turned to me. "And d'yeh plan to ask Lyria?"  
  
I turned red. "I... well, not really, but... um..."  
  
Hagrid chuckled, and Peter, Moony, & Prongs (who had never seen me blush) all cracked up.  
  
"It's not funny," I snapped.  
  
"No, it isn't," Hagrid agreed. "How're yeh gonna manage to ask when yeh can' even talk about it?"  
  
More laughter.  
  
December 15, 1978  
  
Hogsmeade weekend, and thank God; I hadn't bought a single Christmas present until today.  
  
Prongs grabbed my wrist about halfway through the day. "Follow me," he instructed.  
  
"You've got a death grip on my wrist, I don't think I have any other options," I countered.  
  
He half-dragged me around a corner. "What do you think?" He asked, still glancing around nervously as he pulled a ring box out of his pocket and opened it.  
  
"Holy shit! Are you trying to propose to her or blind her?" I hissed.  
  
"Do you think she'll like it?" He asked, still looking around.  
  
"Quit glancing around looking for her. Lyria pulled her into a bookstore or something, they'll be there for hours. If I were her, I'd say yes. Well, actually, maybe not, because if you proposed to me, I'd be worried..."  
  
James laughed. "And... maybe I shouldn't say anything because I don't even know if she's going to say yes, but on the off chance that she does, I want you to be my Best Man."  
  
"Do you even have to ask me that? Don't be stupid, of course I will," I replied.  
  
He grinned. "Come on, if they catch us down an alleyway we're in trouble."  
  
December 25, 1978  
  
He did it! Nearly wet himself in terror this morning when I handed him the ring box and shoved him out the door, but Prongs and Lily are now officially engaged. Though at the moment, they've vanished, and no one's wondering why.  
  
Anyway, Happy Christmas. Lyria, ever fond of the thoughtful practical gifts, got me a new cloak (it is actually really nice), but also a stash of chocolates and other treats that she knows I'm probably going to be sharing with her.  
  
In fact, we're eating my chocolate frogs while I write.  
  
I'm a little bit concerned...  
  
"It's sweet that they're engaged," Lyria said with a smile.  
  
I let out a gulp. Was I expected to propose now too? God, I hope not... 


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: YAY! Reviewers! Didn't mention them last chapter, so here comes the list...  
  
Marvoless: Thank you!! Hey, *now* you've reviewed, so it's all good oowth: WHOOPS! I did the same thing when I posted it on my site. As much as that would be a plot twist, it is indeed a typo. Iggie: YAY! See, it's not Story of a Cat, but it's still good! Becca Black: Thank you!!! There's even more Sirius & Lyria in most of my other works, and I'm working on a post-PoA fic on the pair of them... Thank you, thank you, thank you again; I *love* Lyria (stole her from an RPG hehe).  
  
And NOW on to the chapter... first part written at a concert... so yeah....  
  
December 29, 1978  
  
This morning's conversation with Lyria was a very scary experience.  
  
"So... isn't it great, James and Lily having everything planned out?" she asked. We were sitting in the common room again, though this time she'd roped me into actually doing homework.  
  
"Yeah. Great," I said absently, studying a star chart for Divination for just a moment before randomly tossing down some false predictions.  
  
"I'm trying to set up post-graduation plans, but it's hard. There's still so much up in the air..."  
  
Oh God. Was she hinting? "I'm against plans. Nope, not planning a thing. Just going to see where things take me. Heck, I don't even plan meals or tomorrow's clothes."  
  
"You're afraid I want you to marry me, aren't you?" Lyria asked pointedly, putting down her book and looking up at me.  
  
My jaw dropped to somewhere around my knees, but she continued.  
  
"I don't. I mean, it's not that I don't love you or anything, but I'm not exactly the wife and mother type, and especially not now."  
  
I scraped my jaw off the floor and gave her an enormous hug.  
  
January 1, 1979  
  
Happy New Year!  
  
James and Lily are *already* planning the wedding. It's rather sick. Lily asked Lyria to be the Maid of Honor this morning (at least I know who I'm going to get paired with), and now they're asking her to help them plan music because she's musically inclined and neither of them are.  
  
Blech.  
  
January 4, 1979  
  
Back to classes, and for once I'm relieved. Maybe Prongs will stop making wedding plans and start complaining and serving detentions like a normal seventeen year old.  
  
(Later)  
  
Just finished detention. Fistfight with Snape in the hall because he referred to Lyria as "the moron's little whore." No one calls Lyria such a thing in my hearing and gets away with it, so I lunged at him and proceeded to beat the snot out of him. Of course, it was Prewett who found us, so I got a nice detention with the esteemed Potions Asshole again.  
  
It's nice to have things back to normal.  
  
January 6, 1979  
  
Having a bit of a problem.  
  
Tonight's a full moon, and it's also the night of my detention with Prewett. Not showing up to detention is enough to get me punished pretty severely, but Prongs can't keep Moony under control on his own. Granted, joining the party late could be perfectly harmless, but if they're out on the grounds and I'm not in my other form yet, I'll get bitten and Moony'd be expelled. Not going at all isn't an option because if it turns out to be a rough evening, there's going to be a werewolf loose in Hogsmeade and that would *definitely* get Moony expelled. Not going to detention, however, is likely to get *me* expelled.  
  
Unless, of course, I think of a way to get out of it.  
  
And maybe tomorrow I'll wake up with wings and a furry tail.  
  
(Okay, scratch the furry tail. I suppose that's possible.)  
  
January 7, 1979  
  
Problem solved courtesy of Miss Lyria Strider and Miss Lily Evans.  
  
Lily takes Advanced Charms, and in her book there's a charm that used to be used by people in Magical Law Enforcement and such that allows you to enchant an object so that anyone carrying it looks like someone else. Lyria borrowed the book for some other charm, learned that one, and served my detention for me. (The girls learned about Moony back in fifth year when we sort of forgot that the Noel Night was the night of the full moon and accidentally stood them up. We had to explain.)  
  
Good thing, too, because last night *was* a difficult night. Moony gave us the slip and we had to chase him down. Dog noses *really* help in that case, by the way, and I strongly suggest them.  
  
January 14, 1979  
  
Anniversary. Forgot how many months. A very long time, anyway.  
  
January 16, 1979  
  
It was 16 months. March is a year and a half. Make note of that, and do not forget, or she is likely to beat you about the head.  
  
January 25, 1979  
  
I found out a little bit about Lyri's plans for after graduation today...  
  
"So. What are you doing with yourself once you get out of here?" I asked. We're serving detention together for Prewett again. (I made fun of her in Potions and she threw a frog brain at me.)  
  
"Planning to go right into Auror training," she replied. "I had been for a while... and Eryk just sort of made it official. There's a war going on out there, and I'm going to make sure the right people win it."  
  
"They will, with you on their side," I told her. "You've got that sort of conviction."  
  
"You're becoming a regular philosopher, Sirius Black," she replied, brushing a stray bit of hair out of my face. It immediately flopped back to where it was.  
  
"Not really. Thinking every once in a while doesn't count. Don't worry; I'm still lovable, aggravating-as-hell Padfoot."  
  
She laughed and kissed me. "Good. I need someone around to aggravate me."  
  
"Nice to be appreciated."  
  
A/N: Short, yes, yes I know. I am having writer's block... so please, come to me with any suggestions! I know how it's going to end but am unsure about what should happen in the meantime (it's only January, after all), and nothing's happened to stimulate ideas. 


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Okay. Many, many, many apologies. but there was writer's block like you wouldn't BELIEVE as far as this story was concerned, and not a lot of time to work through it. Anyway, thanks to my real-life equivalent of Dell for the idea. This chapter: Something's amiss once more in the world of Sirius.  
  
February 13th, 1979  
  
Something's very, very wrong.  
  
Lyria's acting weird. Weirder than usual, I mean. We had the whole talk and there's no way we're getting married - yet- she doesn't want to, so now why's she acting like she's mental? Honest to God, I just don't get girls. I have positively no idea how they work.  
  
~Later.  
  
Still have no idea how girls work.  
  
I went down to the common room to ask her what's going on. "What'd I do?" probably wasn't the best way to start it, but that's how I did.  
  
"You know what you did." She looked at me with some sort of you-ought-to- be-ashamed-of-yourself look.  
  
"What?" I asked.  
  
"You know what you did," she repeated.  
  
"Honest to God, Lyri, I've got no bloody idea what you're talking about," I snapped.  
  
She seemed almost ready to water up. I winced. "I'm sorry, okay? Can we go talk? Please?"  
  
She nodded and let me lead her away, but I noticed the identical looks from Lily and Lyndell. What ancient tradition of dealing with girls had I violated now? "Look, Lyri, forgive me for being dense and all, but I really have no idea what I did this time."  
  
"You didn't do anything but I can't talk to you in front of people. We need to talk later."  
  
"Alright. Well. well I'll come get you and we'll slip out, okay?"  
  
She nodded and headed back toward Lily and Lyndell, leaving me possibly more confused than I had been before.  
  
February 14th, 1979  
  
I think I'm going to throw up. Again.  
  
Lyria and I went to talk and I just got back upstairs.  
  
"What's wrong?" I asked her quietly. We'd found an empty classroom to sit in, but Lyria was pacing anxiously.  
  
"I'm a few days late."  
  
I sat there blankly a moment before I figured out what she was talking about, and it was all I could do not to yelp in alarm. "What? Then you're. you're."  
  
"I've been later," she said quickly. "But not since we started. well, you know."  
  
"Have you. aren't there tests or something?"  
  
"Yeah, but they'd send me home if I am. And I'm not going to not graduate."  
  
"This isn't really something we can keep covert for very long!"  
  
"It might not be anything at all," she retorted. "I don't *know* yet, Sirius. But I couldn't exactly not tell you and then suddenly spring it on you." Her lip was trembling slightly - a very un-Lyri-like action.  
  
"Right. Okay." I paused and looked at her a moment, then wrapped her in a hug, hoping it'd help. "It'll be okay."  
  
"I can't really help but be. nervous."  
  
Nevermind nervous, she was scared out of her wits, and so was I. "It'll be okay. I'm not going anywhere just because. because of this."  
  
"Not yet," she said softly.  
  
"I'm not," I said firmly. "I promise, Lyri."  
  
She put her head on my shoulder and I knew she was crying, even if she was quiet. I rubbed her back a little bit. "Want me to bring you upstairs?"  
  
She nodded, and I lifted her and wrapped James's borrowed Invisibility Cloak around us before heading up to Gryffindor Tower. I had to slide it off to give the Fat Lady the password, but then I slipped it back on and carried her to her room, where I stayed with her until she fell asleep.  
  
And then ran to the bathroom and threw up. I slipped the cloak back in James's trunk and sat down on my bed to write a little bit before I went to sleep, but I'm not going to sleep. I don't think I'll do much of anything very well until we know for sure.  
  
Am I supposed to marry her now? I mean, I reckon if she's pregnant I *have* to marry her, and it's not like I don't love her, but graduating, getting married, and being some kid's father in a matter of months makes me feel sick. I mean, they're all things I want to do, but not all at once. And Lyri and I fight and I don't think she's ready to be someone's mother, and I KNOW I'm not ready to be anyone's parent, I don't have a clue what I'd be doing and I don't need to screw up some little kid. I think I'm supposed to grow up myself first before I try to raise someone else, but if I went and got Lyria pregnant I can't exactly leave her on her own either.  
  
She keeps saying it might be nothing. God, I hope she's right.  
  
February 20th, 1979  
  
Still feeling ill, still too early to test anything. Terrified out of my wits. Remus has been trying to get me to study for NEWTs, and I've been spending uncommon amounts of time in the library, but that's mostly so I'll be left essentially alone.  
  
Lyria and I haven't gotten to talk in a while, she's afraid it'll look suspicious or something. I still feel violently ill every time I think of the possibility of being a parent. I still don't know what I'm supposed to do if it *does* happen.  
  
Of course, everyone has noticed that something's wrong with me, and also that something's wrong with Lyri. So at any time now, someone will put two and two together. And if it gets slipped to the wrong people, Lyria will get sent home, and then she won't graduate and it'll be my fault.  
  
And I thought somewhere along the way I'd gotten smarter.  
  
February 28th, 1979  
  
Lyria's refusing to test. things. I'm about ready to strangle her.  
  
She's afraid to do it herself because she thinks she'll do it wrong, she won't let Lily help her because she doesn't want to tell anybody, and naturally she won't go up to the hospital wing because if she *is,* Madam Pomfrey would immediately tell Dumbledore and McGonagall and honestly, I don't want to be mentioned in the Howler her parents would send either.  
  
So I've decided to break our little agreement and I'm going to get her tonight, and we're going to sit down and have a chat about all this.  
  
~Later.  
  
I basically had to kidnap her and march her away. I decided we'd be best off going outside on the grounds, so I half-dragged her outside to someplace quiet where not even Hagrid would really look for us.  
  
"Lyria. you can't just keep putting this off," I said. "Lily'd help, or I can."  
  
"You'd be as nervous as I would be, something would get messed up," she said firmly. "And I *can't* tell Lily, she's Head Girl, it'd put her in quite a spot if people found out she knew & never said anything."  
  
I was going to say we could use James, who wouldn't care if he wound up in a bit of a pickle, but realized that what James knew Lily knew nowadays. "Well. we're going to have to do it ourselves, then, and we *have* to. I know you don't much fancy being sent home, but if you are then we've got four months 'til we graduate. You could hide it that long, right?"  
  
"Probably." She looked on the verge of tears again. She looked like that a lot lately.  
  
I sat down next to her and hugged her. "Lyri, it's going to be okay. Honest."  
  
"There's nothing about this that's 'okay,' Sirius, and you know it," she replied.  
  
"Alright, fine. What do you want me to tell you, Lyria? That I'm scared out of my wits? That I want to be sick every time I think that I might be some kid's father? That I have no idea what I'm supposed to do, if I'm supposed to marry you or just live with you or do God-knows-what if you are? Do you really think I'm not just as scared as you are?"  
  
"You say that now but you'd take off. You'd be right there up until graduation and then you'd be gone," she said quietly.  
  
Ah-hah. So there was the problem. "No, Lyria. I won't run off on you, either way." I paused. Maybe I *was* supposed to marry her. "Listen, if. if you are. do you want us to get married?"  
  
There was silence. I wondered if she'd fallen asleep. "I. I don't know. I don't think we should just for a baby, and we already talked about it and neither of us really seems too eager to be married just yet."  
  
"Well. I guess it's something to keep in mind," I offered.  
  
She nodded and then curled up close to me with a shiver, and I noticed that it was getting a little bit cold. I wrapped my cloak around her. "Better?"  
  
She nodded, then completely unexpectedly flung her arms around me, crying against my shoulder. "I'm scared."  
  
"I know," I said as soothingly as I could manage, pulling her close. "I know you are." 


	15. Chapter 15

March 4th, 1979  
  
We spent a half a month absolutely terrified just to find out it's nothing.  
  
And now. well. it's weird. After the initial "Thank God" reaction, we both sort of felt. like we'd lost something, I guess.  
  
"I guess I was getting used to it. figuring out what'd have to happen," Lyria told me, finally calm. "It's sort of like I was. well, you know. and then we lost it."  
  
At the time I didn't know (or really care) what she was talking about, so I'd just pulled her close and whirled her around. I sort of know what she meant now, though. Like I said, it's weird.  
  
And I don't know why, either. We'd talked about it again and if she *had* been, we were going to get married & set up house and all. Maybe that was part of it, that we were going to be married. Maybe it was more. something else. Like the idea had sort of sunk in. Anyway, she's not, I'm not going to be someone's parent, and for that I'm practically dancing with glee.  
  
March 14th, 1979  
  
A year and six months today. Wow. Don't think either Lyri or I expected we'd stay together this long. Anyway, much planned so more later on how that turns out.  
  
Lily and James have been possessed by some dark spell which causes them to constantly snuggle and make wedding plans. It's getting rather sickening. I mean, we're all happy for them and all but I'm really starting to hope they shut up about it soon. Although I did manage to have a semi-normal wedding free conversation with Prongs earlier.  
  
"You started looking into who you'll be playing Quidditch for next year?" He'd asked, lounging in one of the squishy chairs.  
  
"I'm not playing Quidditch. I'm going to be an Auror."  
  
"You know Lyria's already studying for her NEWTs?"  
  
"Yeah, and nagging me to do the same, but they *are* kind of important if I think I'm going to be an Auror. So I might actually look at the books before I take them."  
  
James faked a heart attack and fell out of the chair.  
  
So on the Auror thing, I've applied to the program and should hear in mid- April or so.  
  
~Later.  
  
Ah, the rewards of good planning. But yet spending time with Lyria has a tendency to make my brain hurt lately.  
  
She was snuggled up next to me and I was just thinking that I liked it. in fact, I decided I liked it so much I could do it every day.  
  
Which immediately make me stop and panic.  
  
Did I want to marry her? Live with her? Could I live with her and not marry her? Probably not, her father'd likely kill me.  
  
It was only the second time I'd had that sort of a thought, though. It probably wasn't time to panic yet.  
  
"What are you thinking?" She asked after a minute.  
  
I hadn't even noticed she was awake; contrary to all the myths, it's usually Lyria who falls asleep afterward. "About you. I love you."  
  
She rested her head against me. "I love you too. suddenly gotten introspective on me?"  
  
I snorted. "Wouldn't go *that* far. I was just thinking we never expected to last this long," I fibbed a bit.  
  
"But we did. And so far so good, save a few skirmishes."  
  
I kissed the top of her head. "Especially lately. Have I finally grown up enough for you?" I teased.  
  
She looked at me. "Don't grow up, Sirius. Never. Stay just exactly like you are. everyone needs someone like you."  
  
I just pulled her closer for a few minutes before we made ourselves presentable and parted for the night.  
  
March 25th, 1979  
  
I have made a big giant life altering decision over the past week and some.  
  
I think I'm going to ask Lyri to marry me. Not right away or anything, we could be engaged for a while and I think that'd be good for us both. But I guess I'm just really scared to lose her with the war, and I want us to stay together. Permanently.  
  
See, I thought about what I wanted and eventually figured out I was describing us being married while avoiding the word. So. I'm over it and I'm going to ask.  
  
Soon.  
  
Well, as soon as I can make myself ask.  
  
April 12th, 1979  
  
Letters are arriving for students who applied for Auror training, and for the first time in my life I think I've got a case of nerves, because I'm feeling rather sick.  
  
So far three people have been rejected, so I'm hoping that no news is good news right now.  
  
~Later  
  
Another batch of letters, but Lyria went and made me promise not to open mine until we open them together. It's definitely a girl thing. But I agreed and now I'm going nuts. Frank Longbottom and Alice Pendlebury both got in, though, so I'm thinking that's a good sign.  
  
~Even Later  
  
I GOT IN!  
  
So did Lyri, but that's not as important because she's brilliant and all but if we get married I'm going to take care of her anyway, but I got in!  
  
Training starts really soon after graduation, actually, but I reckon they need all the help they can get. Provided, of course, acceptable grades for my NEWTs, otherwise they just revoke it and you're left hanging. But I know I'll be able to handle it, even potions, I did on the OWLs after all and I didn't even study.  
  
So it looks like Lyria and I will both be Aurors.  
  
April 14th, 1979  
  
I should never, never have let slip to Prongs that I'm going to ask Lyria to marry me. He told Lily, and now they're planning our wedding in addition to theirs and I *really* want to kill them.  
  
Besides, she's probably going to say no. And even if she doesn't, it'll be a while before we actually *do* get married, so we don't need to be making plans or anything.  
  
Furthermore, every time I try to make plans to ask her I nearly crap my pants and deliberately get myself detention so we have to postpone.  
  
I'm trying to convince myself asking on our two-year would be cute but I don't think it'll work because we'll both be too involved in our training by then. I think I've got to ask now, soon, before I lose the chance. Too much could go wrong if I wait that long.  
  
So tomorrow in Hogsmeade I think I'm going ring shopping.  
  
I'm going to be sick.  
  
April 15th, 1979  
  
I went and bought it today, all by myself. Lily wanted to help but I pretty much chased her away and told her I could do it myself, thank you very much. I wasn't as sure when I walked in but I think I managed quite well.  
  
Anyway, it's white gold with a round cut diamond and sapphire side stones. Not that I much care but at least I'll be able to sound smart about it. It's pretty, as far as jewelry goes, and for some reason I thought of Lyria when I saw it. So now I need to figure out how & when to ask her, because now that I've got the thing I swear it's burning a hole in my pocket.  
  
April 25th, 1979  
  
It's still in my pocket.  
  
April 28th, 1979  
  
I *finally* did it today. I reckon it's probably the 29th now, though. It's got to be pretty late.  
  
Anyway, I blindfolded her and brought her up to the roof. There's a flat area, on top of the North Tower, that no one knows about. I might actually be the only one who does, because I've never told Peter or James or Remus about it, even. But it's gorgeous on a clear night, and you can look down and see the Quidditch pitch and the lake and everything. So I ran down to the kitchens and prepared a picnic (although of course that included a run down a certain passageway to Hogsmeade as well), had it up waiting for us and everything, then went and got Lyria.  
  
"You really don't want us to be found, do you?" She teased lightly.  
  
I smiled despite the feeling like something was braiding my intestines. "I really don't." The basket was sitting nicely on top of a deep red blanket.  
  
"Sirius. this is really, really sweet."  
  
"It gets better."  
  
"You hope."  
  
I had to laugh. "I don't even mean that this time."  
  
"Not that you'd complain."  
  
"No, can't say I would. But I reckon we'd better wait until after dark if you want dessert." I winked.  
  
Lyria laughed softly and kissed my cheek. I wrapped an arm around her companionably, and we had a whole little picnic on the roof until just after sunset.  
  
"There's something else in that basket," I tried to sound casual but my voice rather wobbled. Damnit.  
  
"Siri. are you alright?"  
  
I just nodded, not speaking this time.  
  
She gave me a peculiar 'if you say so' sort of look and obediently opened the basket. The closed ring box was there, right in the center in the bottom of the basket. She pulled it out. "Sirius?" And this time it was her voice that wobbled.  
  
I leaned over and opened the box. "I want you to marry me, Lyria. Please. I mean. it doesn't have to be right away like Lily and James are doing, but it could be if you want, but I don't want to lose you and there's a war going on and all, and if you say no I'll understand but I really want you to be my wife someday." I realized I was babbling but couldn't seem to stop myself.  
  
Lyria leaned over and kissed me, cutting me off. "Yes, Sirius."  
  
I blinked, then gently took the ring box from her. "Can- can I put this on you?"  
  
She nodded, watering up a little bit, and I slid the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly, and I mentally congratulated myself on an excellent guess. "I love you, Lyria."  
  
"I love you. so much. I thought you didn't want to get married."  
  
"You said you didn't either," I pointed out.  
  
"Well that's because I thought you didn't want to, and I didn't want you feeling like you had to, and you're right, I don't think we should right away."  
  
"Well. I didn't want to. At least I didn't think I did. but I thought about it, and I kept thinking to myself how I could be with you the rest of my life, and eventually I figured out I was describing a marriage without using the word. I love you, I know I love you, and while I'm *really* glad you want to wait a little bit, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Lyri."  
  
A single tear escaped her. "That's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me."  
  
We snogged a little bit, but nothing more than that, then stayed up talking until we realized it had to be past midnight, when I carefully helped her back down into the building and we went back to Gryffindor Tower. For once it was just a perfectly polite kiss good night while I waited for her to fall asleep, then slipped back into my own dormitory. Where James, Remus, Peter, and Frank Longbottom demanded the entire story before I sat down to write. (None of them believed all we did was snog.)  
  
And now, I'm going to bed because I'm finding it difficult to see straight. 


End file.
